A seminar has been held in Plymouth looking at engaging with boys in schools.

The University of St Mark & St John’s seminar, Taking Boys Seriously, was packed with professionals in teaching, sport coaching, social work and probation.

They heard Dr Ken Harland and Sam McCready from the University of Ulster discuss educational engagement with boys.

The two are Co-Directors of the Centre for Young Men’s Studies and led the internationally renowned research paper Taking Boys Seriously, which follows the journeys of young men into adulthood.

The study is an attempt to tackle the root cause of difficulties that Northern Ireland still suffers, and which have parallels in areas of social deprivation in other pockets of the UK.

Dr Ken Harland said: "We are dealing with the fact that schools are failing boys. 70% of learning is outside school, meaning it takes a community to educate a child. The first step is to simply talk to boys about their needs.

"40% of boys entering secondary school are unable to read and write. They have reduced social skills, verbal skills and feel marginalised. This has an emotional impact on them and the people around them, eventually leading to increased problems in mental health, wellbeing and suicide."

Linking the problem with low engagement with the Troubles, Dr Harland told delegates that 32% of deaths during the Troubles were of men between 17-24 and that this leaves a legacy of how communities perceive young adult males.

The study found that the Peace Process had not considered young men’s needs and when interviewed, boys said they felt they had no connection with it. Suicide has remained at the same high levels, with 64% of all suicides being among young men.

Dr Harland said: "We really wanted to hear the voice of the boys and learn about their lives and their issues. We questioned 400 boys in 9 primary schools and the boys responded well."

The study discovered that boys prefer exams to coursework. They also like movement and don’t feel school subjects connect with their everyday experiences.

The academics also found that playgrounds were intense and play was rough, with 10 % of boys being bullied to the extent that when asked about feeling good, they said they never had.

As part of moving forward, Dr Harland and Sam McCready discussed their rewrite of the ‘Three Rs’ and suggested they stand for: responsibility, respect and relationship.

They told delegates to think about improving incentives, boundaries and the boys’ ability to enjoy movement.

The delegates were asked to share experiences and one spoke of a school reunion and meeting a previously excluded pupil who managed to graduate as a mature student.